Supermarkets commit to ‘Price it Right’
Which? has announced that four supermarkets have pledged to improve their shelf labels to enable shoppers to more easily compare the price of goods.
The move follows the consumer watchdog’s ‘Price it Right’ campaign which called on the six major supermarkets to end what it described as hard-to read and inconsistent pricing.
Which? said that Aldi, The Co-operative and Waitrose have all now committed to improve food labels after Morrisons signed up to the campaign when it launched in September last year.
In a statement the watchdog added: “Of the six other major supermarkets, Sainsbury’s has been working on transparent pricing over the last 18 months and Lidl and Tesco are making active steps towards simpler pricing. Asda has said it will look at improving its labelling but Iceland and Marks and Spencer have still yet to take any action.”
New research from Which? has shown that eight in ten (78%) people shop around for the best price for their groceries and around four in 10 (43%) are now comparing prices when shopping in store, more than they were a year ago.
The Which? voluntary commitment asks supermarkets to display a consistent unit price, include the unit price of food items on promotion, and ensure that labels are clearly visible.
It also asks that where possible labels adhere to the Which? and Royal National Institute of Blind People guidelines
Which? executive director, Richard Lloyd, said: “Hard-pressed shoppers want to know at a glance what the cheapest deal is without having to get their calculators out, so it’s a win for consumers that four major supermarkets have committed to improving their labels. The remaining supermarkets should now follow suit, and listen to the thousands of people that have backed the Which? campaign.
“In the longer term we want the Government to simplify pricing legislation so that retailers and manufacturers can make food prices even easier to compare.”
Business Secretary, Vince Cable, said: “I welcome the positive steps taken by supermarkets to help consumers get the best value and a fairer deal. Clearer prices and promotions will be a big help for consumers who want to be more savvy and work out how to save more on their weekly shop. In addition, more transparency will boost competition and help support a stronger economy.
“Consumer Minister Jo Swinson has been working closely with the supermarkets and with Which? to explore what more can be done to make prices simpler. This is an encouraging first step and I look forward to other supermarkets following suit.”
